Proud Heiress follows familiar path

Proud Heiress was trainer Wayne Mogge's 19th Woodbine starter and became his first local winner when she captured last Sunday's Grade 3, $153,800 Whimsical.

A 5-year-old who races for owner Michael Cavey, Proud Heiress had finished third in last year's Whimsical and second in the Hendrie in two trips to Woodbine last year.

"We'd been looking toward to this for quite some time," said Mogge, 44, who has 26 horses based at Turfway Park. "We kind of went along the same path as last year."

Proud Heiress won Turfway Park's six-furlong Wishing Well and finished second there in the six-furlong Queen in the first two starts of both this year's and last year's campaigns.

The Whimsical, also a six-furlong race for fillies and mares, was her third start both this year and last year.

There was a pre-race glitch in the Whimsical as jockey Rodney Prescott, who had ridden Proud Heiress in the two Kentucky stakes, was grounded when his passport was not available in time. Chantal Sutherland picked up the mount and proved an admirable substitute as she brought Proud Heiress from last place in the field of seven to score by a nose.

"The filly's a little quirky," said Mogge. "She needs a very patient rider. Timing is everything with her."

Proud Heiress has returned to Turfway Park but should be making another cross-border sortie for the Grade 3, $150,000 Hendrie, a 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares on May 16.

Toronto native loses 10-pound bug

Ryan Pacheco had his apprentice allowance cut from 10 pounds to five pounds after registering his fifth career victory aboard Slew's Kid ($16.50) in last Friday's 10th race.

On Sunday, Pacheco registered with his second of two mounts on the program when he guided Souris Hardi ($8.10) to a front-running win in the fifth race.

Pacheco, a Toronto native who graduated from the Chris McCarron Riding Academy in Lexington, Ky., last year, moved his tack here this spring and was 3 for 15 heading into this fourth week of the meeting.

Fraser expects to return next weekend

Jockey Corey Fraser suffered a mild concussion when unseated by his mount, King's Command, leaving the gate in last Saturday's second race but will be back in action on Saturday, May 1.

"I don't like missing the time, but it could have been a lot worse," said Fraser, 33, who was Canada's champion apprentice in 2004.

Armata-trained horse banned for 90 days

Molinaro Gioello, who finished second when making his first start in the third race here April 4, is ineligible to race for 90 days after testing positive for the class 3 drug acepromazine.

Owned by Molinaro Stable and trained by Vito Armata, Molinaro Gioello was banned from April 16 through July 14 under the Ontario Racing Commission's "owner responsibility" rules.

Armata can continue to conduct his business until the stewards convene a hearing.

* Jim Mazur will be here on Saturday for a handicapping seminar beginning at 11 a.m. on the third floor of the grandstand. Attendees will receive a free copy of Mazur's "Derby Zone" and "Triple Crown Undercard Handicapper."